The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-28
THE SPHERE OF WOMAN.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Asks Whether Il
Is Eat Home" or in Public

The SPHERE OF WOMAN.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Asks Whether 1t
Is "at Home" or in Public.
Ella Wheeler Witcor Il, Philadelphia Press.
According to my creed womans place is
wherever circumstances beyond her control
have placed her
If she feels constant and never-ceasiag
rebellion against her environments, and
Graves a change of conditions, the change
will come. We may whine and complain
at Fate all our lives without ever accom-
plishing anything. But the soul that looks
steadily in the face of its desire, making no
complaint, recogniz no ill-fortupe, but de-
mands from life the thing it Graves, and
believes it will be given-that soul will OBJ
tam its wish so sure as the sun shines.
There are no circumstances which can
overthrow or circumvent the passionate re-
solve of noble, earnest soul.
/ believe we are only denied the things we
crave in order to test the strength of our
desire. There are no accidents of birth or
fortune. A mighty intelligence directs it
all, and grants to each soul its wish, if that
soul never swerves from the intensity of
desire
The reason so few of us obtain what we
want is because SO few of us are persistent
and patient
If any woman is placed in a situation
where she is deprived Of the comforts and
the appreciation so necessary to our happi-
ness, and she longs ardently enough to bet
ter her condition, the way will be opened
for her.
Icannot understand how woman who
has been accorded that greatest of all gifts
from heaven, happy home life, can desire
any career which interferes with it. The
result of my observation does not lead me
to believe that women who are sheltered
with love and protection and appreciation,
do long for the plaudits Of the world.
A great deal is said and written of the
young girl or worshiped wife who neglects
kind parents or devoted husband to pur-
sue career If you will take pains to In
vestigate the unwritten history of such cases
you will find in almost every instance a
skeleton whose rafting bones drove that
daughter or wife from her home into public
life.
MISERABLE HOME LIVES
If every man who takes upon himself the
voluntary obligations of matrimony, per-
formed his whole duty as husband and faith
err there would be fewer women before the
public to-day The girl or wife who has TO
tease, beg or pout in order to obtain few
dollars for her own use, naturally lies awake
nights planning some method of earning
money.
] knew the daughter of a man whose
riches were counted among the hundreds of
thousands, and yet she was obliged to resort
to petty rllses and humiliating schemes to
get dollar of pin money. She was allowed
to run large bills, which her father scanned
and mathematical item by Item each
month, but he did not consider the female
members of his household competent TO
carry a purse When the daughter ran
away and went on the stage as a third-rate
actress, the world was shocked that she
should leave her elegant home and devoted
parents for the glare of the footlights.
l overheard well-dressed and fine look
ing man recently in railroad car sc0lding
his wife for an extravagant purchase. She
showed him the sample of q new dress she
had purchase and asked with timid look
if he thought it was pretty.
Chow much did you pay for it.n he asked,
and her answer, given with a deprecating
glance, brought forth such a growl and
sneer that the poor wife's pleasure in her
purchase must have been instantly ruined
| am quite sure should have put the dress
up at auction and presented Sir Grower
with the proceeds of the sale, and then
would have joined a circus or a minstrel
troupe, if l could find no better method of
earning dress for myself.
Two WOMEN, VINO were working outside
CT homes for a livelihood, told me recently,
with tears in their eyes, that they would
consider themselves the most blest of NOR
tails to be shut within the walls of some
humble cottage, where only faint echoes
from the world could reach them. Both
women were driven from their homes by
the skeleton of poverty. And yet | have
heard one of these women commented on
severely as ga bold seeker after notoriety."
She is simply doing what she is compelled
to do to keep the wolf from the door.
EXCEPTIONAL CAREERS.
There is occasionally born into the world
a woman whose whole nature rtIshes like
the tide of a mighty ocean toward the shore
of some especial career. Rosa Bonheur was
one of these, the first Mrs. Siddons was
another, Anna Dick nson was another. In
each Of these women the force of her pecu-
liar genius was so great that no perfection
of home life, no opulence of wealth could
have kept her from fulfilling her destiny
Trey did not choose career, a career chose
them. Many other names could be added
to the list, yet such richly and remarka-
bly, lowered women are the exception.
The rule is that women who pursue the
hard path of public career, which deprives
them Of quiet domestic life, are women
who have been driven into it by stern ne
cessity.
To he queen of happy home, loved and
appreciated by kind husband and little
children, to live only for their appreciation
and respect, surely this is the grandest and
truest sphere for woman. 1t is the only gen
uine happiness which earth affords, all else
is mere invitation. In no reform can
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